Failing to comply with competition law can have severe implications. Restrictions, and even the contracts themselves, may be void and unenforceable. Fines of up to 10% of annual group turnover can be imposed. Injured parties can seek compensation and, in many countries, there is even the threat of personal penalties, including criminal prosecution. We work with our clients to produce tailored internal policies and procedures to help ensure compliance with competition law. We also provide support to help clients take timely action where breaches have occurred, including advising on leniency applications, investigation guidance, and co-operation and defence strategies.
Competition laws are not always obvious, and it is easy for employees to land their employers in trouble. Understanding the potential risks is crucial to designing and implementing an appropriate approach to competition law compliance. We have extensive experience in providing pan-European tailored competition compliance programmes to our clients, operating in numerous sectors, including technology, telecoms, healthcare, insurance, electronics, food, retail, automotive and manufacturing.
